After progressing past Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League, Bayern Munich kept up their good week by thrashing Union Berlin in the Bundesliga, with Harry Kane grabbing his 40th goal of the season in all competitions. Leon Goretzka, Thomas Muller (2) and Mathys Tel were the other goalscorers for Thomas Tuchel’s side against their relegation-threatened hosts.Harry Kane notched his 40th goal of the season as Bayern Munich demolished Union Berlin 5-1 in the German capital on Saturday.
Kane planted a fine 25-yard free-kick home to score his 33rd league goal of the season – 40 in all competitions – after Leon Goretzka opened the scoring with an equally emphatic finish.
Bayern exerted intense dominance on their relegation-threatened opponents in the second half as Thomas Muller scored a brace on his 400th start for the Bavarians, either side of a Mathys Tel goal. Yorbe Vertessen struck a late consolation to avoid his side extending their goalless run to four consecutive matches.
Bayern can only contest for a best possible second-place finish in the Bundesliga after Bayer Leverkusen secured the league title last weekend. The feat broke Bayern’s 11-year-long streak of retaining the title.
Thomas Tuchel’s side sit three points clear of third-placed Stuttgart, who have a game in hand.
But the heavy defeat plunges Union Berlin into uncertainty, just three points off Mainz who occupy the relegation play-off spot.
Union’s battle against the drop will likely hinge on their seismic clash with Bochum, who sit one place and two points below them, on May 5.
TALKING POINT – KANE HITS 40 AS BAYERN SINK UNION
Despite Bayern falling short of the Bundesliga title for the first time in over a decade, Kane’s debut season in the Bundesliga has been a resounding success.
His expertly-placed free-kick on the stroke of half-time took his league tally to 33, with seven UEFA Champions League strikes contributing to his impressive 2023-24 tally.
The Champions League remains the only possible silverware the England striker could win in his first season at Bayern. A semi-final against Real Madrid stands in the Bavarians’ way of a trip to Wembley.
And based on their display in Berlin, there is no sign of a let up from Thomas Tuchel’s side, even now that a second-placed finish has become their primary goal.For Union, however, the immediate future is looking bleak. They’ve won just one of their last seven league matches and have Mainz – who occupy the relegation play-off spot – hunting them down just three points behind, with a game in hand and amid a strong run of form.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – LEON GORETZKA
It is harsh to not name Muller, scorer of a brace, as the player of the match, but that is testament to the huge role Goretzka played in his side’s dominance in the German capital.
Goretzka opened the scoring before winning the ball to orchestrate Tel’s goal – Bayern’s fourth – and clipped in a delightful cross for Muller to glance home for the visitors’ fifth.
Goretzka was imperious in midfield and allowed his side to completely control the game from the middle of the park. It was a masterful display.
PLAYER RATINGS
Union Berlin: Ronnow 5, Doekhi 4, Vogt 4, Leite 4, Trimmel 6, Tousart 5, Gosens 5, Schafer 4, Aaronson 4, Volland 5, Hollerbach 6. Subs: Vertessen 6, Laidouni 4, Juranovic 5, Kaufmann 5, Knoche 5.
Bayern Munich: Neuer 6, Kimmich 6, Kim 7, Dier 6, Davies 6, Pavlovic 6, Goretzka 9*, Muller 8, Choupo-Moting 7, Tel 7, Kane 7. Subs: Laimer 6, Mazraoui 5, Upamecano 6, Zaragoza 6, Zvonarek 6.
HIGHLIGHTS
GOAL! UNION BERLIN 0-1 BAYERN MUNICH (GORETZKA) What a finish that is! Bayern lead. Tel breaks the lines with a great ball which looks like it’s heading into the path of Muller. However, the 34-year-old dummies and allows the ball to roll to Goretzka, who worked the space before bending an emphatic finish into the corner in front of the Union faithful.
GOAL! UNION BERLIN 0-2 BAYERN MUNICH (KANE) A fantastic free-kick from 25 yards out, and Kane has his 33rd league goal of the season! Kimmich and Kane lined up for the kick but Bayern’s number nine tucked a sumptuous strike beyond the wall and past Ronnow. A dagger to the heart for the hosts.
GOAL! UNION BERLIN 0-3 BAYERN MUNICH (MULLER) On his 400th start for Bayern, Muller grabs a goal to further his side’s lead. Great work from Choupo-Moting as he dinks a ball to Muller who is lurking at the back post. The veteran side-footed his volley into the roof of the net with masterful precision. As Derek Rae points out, he has now scored on every single matchday of a Bundesliga season.
GOAL! UNION BERLIN 0-4 BAYERN MUNICH (TEL) Tel has been lively this evening and he now has his goal. This is becoming a rout. A sloppy turnover in possession and Bayern seize possession. Kane feeds the ball through to Tel who fires a tidy finish into the far corner.
GOAL! UNION BERLIN 0-5 BAYERN MUNICH (MULLER) This is unfair. Every time Bayern go forward it ends in goals. This is true dominance. Goretzka at the centre of the action as he has been throughout. His clipped ball into the box is ever-so-slightly glanced on by Muller and nestles into the back of the net. Ronnow is furious. It’s understanable why.
GOAL! UNION BERLIN 1-5 BAYERN MUNICH (VERTESSEN) Bayern relinquish their clean sheet and it’s a poor one to concede. Pavlovic is weak in the challenge with Vertessen and the Belgian slots a low effort past Neuer. Union have, at least, broken their poor goalscoring record.